'My life is also ruined': Drink-driving killer Puneet Puneet 'begs for pardon from victim's families'

By Staff reporters

Updated9 January 2018 — 9:01amfirst published at 7:16am

Runaway Indian driver Puneet Puneet has reportedly begged the family of the Queensland student he killed to pardon him as he continues to fight extradition to Australia to face charges over the drunken crash.

Puneet was a 19-year-old learner driver when he ran into and killed Queensland student Dean Hofstee, 19, and seriously injured Clancy Coker, 20, in Southbank, on October 1, 2008. He was drunk at the time.

The case of Puneet, which has dragged through the Indian justice system for years, took yet another turn on Monday when the fugitive appealed to his victim's families for mercy, reportedly saying the deadly crash had also ruined his life.

"Whatever happened was unfortunate and not deliberate, I request the families to pardon me for the thing which wasn't deliberate," he told News Corp. "I request them to drop this case ... My life is also ruined."

Acting Premier James Merlino said Puneet needed to face justice. "This is not about forgiveness it's about justice," he told 3AW Radio. "He needs to be extradited to face the Victorian, the Australian, justice system."

Mr Merlino said Premier Daniel Andrews would be travelling to India next week and was expected to raise the matter.

Dean Hofstee (left)

Meanwhile, a court will decide whether more witnesses should be summoned in Puneet's extradition hearing.

The Patiala District Court in Delhi set a date of February 2 to hear final arguments over a petition to call more witnesses in the case.

The defence wants to present more witnesses over claimed medical conditions suffered by the 28-year-old defendant and whether he would face danger in Australia.

At the court on Monday, lawyers for the Union of India - which handles extradition cases for the Indian Government - cross-examined claims made by a friend of the defendant, that Puneet would face extreme racism and violence if he was to be extradited to an Australian prison.

The testimony from Pankaj Monga, who spent time with Puneet in Australia was described as "hearsay" and "a series of fabricated stories" by Union of India lawyers.

Justice Gurmohina Kaur ruled that arguments on the call for more witnesses would be made a few weeks from now. The defence argued the date was too soon, to which she said the case had been delayed and postponed enough."I cannot give you a later date, I want the matter ended," she said.

Previously, the defence submitted medical reports saying Puneet is suffering from various ailments, including schizophrenia, kidney and liver problems. He attended the hearing with relatives.